Manufacturers produce disposable cloths used for personal cleaning, bathing, incontinence care, and skin and surface disinfection. These cloths differ from other disposable hygiene products (such as toilet paper) in that they do not break down and disperse when in contact with water.
These non-dispersible cloths may be used in an environment where they are disposed of into a toilet. An accumulation of these cloths flushed down a toilet drain may eventually lead to a back up in the toilet, blockage of the wastewater drain system, malfunction of sewage pumps, accumulation in municipal sewers and wastewater treatment plants, or bursting of sewage pipes.